Breaking Point
by Chaos-chick3
Summary: Angsty RyouBakura fic, rated R for safety, but probably more of a PG13. Please read and review! Work in progress, so it's not finished yet.
1. Default Chapter

Ok, this is an angsty little songfic about Ryou and Bakura. In this story, Bakura is the spirit in the Millennium Ring, and Ryou is the name of the boy who owns the Ring. I know, it's confusing - in the American show, Bakura is the name of the kid, and the spirit doesn't have a name. But this is how I'm writing this, just so you can tell the difference between the evil one and the good one. This takes place after the Duelist Kingdom tournament, but before Battle City. I made some stuff up about how Ryou got the Ring, etc. since I didn't know. The song is "I give, you take" by Maria. I think it's pretty good for my first Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic.  
  
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If you cut,  
I will bleed  
Bring me down to my knees  
Make me feel,  
What I am  
Is never good enough.  
  
Ryou looked in the mirror. His reflection stared back at him: a silver haired boy with long lashes and dark eyes. His eyes.he looked at them, fascinated. They were deep brown, almost black, but what captivated him was the flat, deadened look in them. Was this who he was then? A useless reject who had given up, resigned to a life of beatings and harsh words, a life dominated by Bakura?  
  
It seems,  
Just like,  
A distant memory  
That you  
Used to  
Be good for me.  
  
**********Flashback**********  
  
"Here, Ryou. I bought this from a street vendor while I was in Egypt. He said it had something to do with duel monsters. I don't know about that, but it felt like it was destined for you." The man passed a flat cardboard box to the eager youth by him.  
"Thanks, Dad!" Opening up the box, there was a flash of gold, blinding in the afternoon sun. "Wow, cool!" The boy slipped the cord over his head, and the Millenium Ring lay glinting against his chest.  
  
That night, as Ryou lay dreaming, the Ring flashed. A tall, slim young man slipped out. His features were similar to those of the sleeping child's, but there was something else, a hardness about the eyes and mouth, a look of innocence lost. Sensing something, Ryou's eyes opened. He looked at the stranger standing by his bed and smiled sweetly.  
"What's your name?" he asked. The stranger looked back at him for a long moment, then answered. "My name is Bakura, little one."  
"Oh." Ryou studied him for a few seconds. "I dreamed about you," he stated simply.  
Bakura's eyes widened. "You did?"  
Ryou nodded. "Yep. You were helping me build a castle in the sky." He squinted up at Bakura, then gave him a wide grin. "Are you going to stay here and be my friend forever and ever?"  
Bakura looked slightly taken aback, then a curious expression crept on his face. "Yes, little one," he said, chuckling. "Forever and ever."  
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Memories chased each other around Ryou's thoughts. Bakura helping Ryou ride a bike for the first time. Bakura fighting bullies who picked on Ryou, protecting him. Nighttime, both boys snuggling together in the queen sized bed, Bakura's arms around Ryou. A whisper in the darkness, a promise made and broken. More images came now, painfully vivid with an intensity that Ryou hated. Bakura, cruel smile on his lips, throwing him across the room. Ryou's bare arms gleaming white in the moonlight, an intricate network of silver lines carved into them, a knife in Bakura's hands as he contemplated his masterpiece, deliberating over where to place the next cut. White hot pain flashing through his arm as Bakura cut him, delicately, a single drop of crimson blood dripping from the knife. Duelist Kingdom, the shadow duel with Yugi and the mysterious spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, the confrontation with Pegasus. Stop! Ryou cried, screamed in his mind. It was no use; the memories kept coming, faster and faster, more and more of them. Bakura's demands, harsh words, and sarcastic remarks, each one a stab to Ryou's heart. And then.that night, that awful night when Bakura had come to Ryou's room and stolen away his innocence, Ryou's shame the following morning, Bakura's increasing demands.  
  
But baby, now it's clear.  
I give,  
You take,  
Somehow, it's gonna break  
I pray,  
For the strength,  
I hate to say, it can't go on this way.  
  
Ryou walked over to the counter and picked up the knife, turning it over, admiring its finely balanced blade, the delicate cutting edge. He pressed it lightly against the palm of his hand and watched as tiny beads of blood welled up, glistening in the faint light coming from the window. So long, Bakura he thought, smiling grimly. I loved you, but you never did understand love. With that, he slashed into his wrist, drawing the knife hard across the blue veins. Blood gushing from his wrist, he transferred the knife to his other hand and attempted the same; by now though, he was too weak to manage more than a shallow cut. Oh well, he thought. That should do it. His vision went black as he collapsed, sinking to the floor with a peculiar grace.  
  
Ok, how was that? Please review and tell me what you think! I'm thinking about ending it here, but since its short, I thought I might add more and either have Ryou's suicide be unsuccessful, or write about Bakura after Ryou killed himself. What do you think? Please, please, please review! 


	2. Another Chance

With your words,  
You pull me in,  
I always lose, I just can't win.  
Though I see,  
My heart is blind,  
It gives in every time.  
  
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White.  
That was Ryou's first impression when he woke up, blinking in confusion. He stared at a small crack on the white surface above him. Strange, he thought. I didn't know clouds could break. Slowly, slowly, his vision cleared and focused, and he realized that it wasn't a cloud above him, it was a ceiling. His memories flooded back.looking in the mirror, slashing his wrist.I'm in a hospital, Ryou realized. Fighting back tears, he closed his eyes. So, he thought bitterly. I was too weak to even kill myself. He bit his lip hard, relishing the pain that took his mind off his latest failure, the feeling of warm blood trickling down his chin. He heard the door open, then a cool finger wiped the blood off his face.  
"Well, little Ryou, how are we doing today?" a familiar voice crooned. Ryou opened his eyes to see Bakura standing by his bed looking down at him, eyes dark and unreadable as usual. He noticed, with a curious detachment, that Bakura's forefinger was covered in blood. Bakura followed his gaze and examined the finger as though only just seeing it. Then, he brought it to his lips and his tongue flicked out, delicately lapping up the blood. Ryou closed his eyes again, sickened. How can he do that? he wondered. Then again, other people's pain had always turned Bakura on.  
"I don't think you answered my question, little one. How are you feeling?"  
Ryou turned away. "Why would you care?"  
"Ryou, you know I care about you." A hand reached out, stroked the long silver locks lying on the pillow. "I want you alive, hikari." The hand continued stroking, untangling the soft curls with ease. Ryou couldn't help it; he turned back towards Bakura, looking up at him, trying to read the older boy's face. Their positions recalled an old memory, a memory of that first night they had met. Will you be my friend forever and ever? the young Ryou had asked. Ryou smiled wanly at the thought. Bakura had said yes, but it had been a lie. Just the first of many lies he had told, Ryou's heart breaking a little more each time.  
"Stay with me, little one," Bakura breathed, leaning down close to Ryou's ear. Heartsick, Ryou remained silent. How can I? he thought. How can I stay, how can I keep living like this? At that moment though, Bakura's arms came around Ryou, gathering him close. His lips moved against Ryou's hair, but Ryou didn't hear what he said. No! part of his mind screamed. It's a lie, you know he'll just hurt you again! It was useless. He knew it was all a lie, an act that Bakura put on to keep him helpless and under control. And yet.lying in Bakura's arms, feeling warm, safe, protected, loved, his heart melted. Another chance, he thought. I'll give him another chance.  
  
Well, how do you like that? Please review, give me some feedback. Thank you to the people who reviewed my first chapter, I love you! Mwah! *blows kisses* So, should Bakura be nice, or should he continue being mean and this continue being angst? I'm thinking about Bakura being mean and Ryou finding love somewhere else.any suggestions? 


	3. Tensions

Ok, people who want me to write longer chapters, I'm sorry!  I can't do it!  Well, actually, you have a choice:  either I update less frequently, but with longer chapters, or I update every couple of days with a short chapter.  Which would you prefer?  By the way, I'm dropping songfic format (just cuz the plot's developing away from the song now).  I think Ryou and Bakura will be together in the end, just they might…experiment…with other people.  I'm not sure – this story really writes itself, so I don't know how it'll end up.

… is Ryou talking through the mindlink.

{…} is Bakura talking through the mindlink.

Italics are regular thoughts (if they show up; I'm not sure if they will, I might be saving this in the wrong format)

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! (But I wish I did)

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            "The inverse of this function, when multiplied by the original function, results in…" Ryou yawned, barely listening as his math teacher droned on.  It had been almost two weeks since his attempted suicide.  There had been the usual buzz of rumors when he came back to school, but he kept his head down and people soon lost interest.  He didn't really care anyway; nothing mattered, so long as Bakura cared about him.  He smiled and called to Bakura through their mindlink.

Bakura?  A reply came swiftly.  {Yes, little one?}  Ryou grinned; even though it was silly, hearing Bakura call him "little one" always made him feel warm, loved.  Nothing.  He could sense Bakura's amusement and faint irritation, but he couldn't help it.  Ever since he had gotten out of the hospital, he had been doing this, just to reassure himself that his yami was still there.  {Of course I'm still here, little one.  Now pay attention; the teacher's asking you something.} Ryou snapped back to attention.

            "Multiply that by 3.5, and what do you get, Ryou?" His teacher, a tall, severe woman, looked at him expectantly.

            "Um…could you repeat that?" Ryou cringed inwardly as she glared at him, then repeated the problem.

            "Take the inverse of f(x) = 3x + 21, then multiply it by 3.5."  

            Ryou thought frantically, trying to figure the problem out in his head.  _Let's see, inverse of f(x) = 3x + 21 would be…er…x-21 over 3, times 3.5…um…_

{3.5x over 3, minus 24.5} Ryou brightened, hearing his yami's thought.

"3.5x over 3, minus 24.5" he answered.  The teacher nodded and moved on.  

Thanks, Bakura. he thought, heaving a sigh of relief.  {No problem, hikari.  Now pay attention.}

            Ryou focused on the teacher, who was now lecturing on properties of inverse functions.  From the corner of his eye, he noticed Yugi watching him.  Ryou blushed slightly; he had been avoiding his old friends ever since Duelist Kingdom, first because he was unsure of how they would treat him, then because he had been too caught up in Bakura to remember them.  Now, Yugi smiled shyly at him and waved slightly with the tips of his fingers, mouthing the words, "Meet me after class."  Ryou nodded.  _I'll have to talk to them sometime, I guess.  Might as well get it over with.  I should apologize for Bakura's behavior at Duelist Kingdom, anyways.  Through the mindlink he shared, he heard a slight growl.  Well, you weren't exactly nice to them he chided.  There was a miffed silence from the older boy, who chose not to answer.  _

            The bell rang, and everybody started to get up.  "Hold on, class.  Your assignment tonight will be on page 326, numbers 1 through 85, all."  The class groaned, copying down the homework.  Ryou picked up his books and shuffled out of the classroom behind the other students.  Once in the hallway, he looked around for Yugi; their eyes met, and Yugi rolled his in annoyance – both boys were caught in the crush of students rushing to their next class, unable to break away from the crowd.  

            "Hey, I'll meet you in the cafeteria, ok?" Yugi called, struggling to make his voice heard over the clamor of students talking and chattering.

            "Sure!" Ryou answered, as he was swept away down the hall.

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            Further on down the hall, Bakura had gotten out of the main stream of students and was walking at a more leisurely pace now, waiting for his hikari to catch up.  {Little one, are you coming to lunch or not?} he thought, impatiently watching the students coming through the double doors towards the cafeteria.  I'm coming!  Hold on!  A few moments later, Ryou came through the door, slightly out of breath and disheveled.  His face lit up as he saw Bakura.

            "Hey!  There are way too many people in this school," he said, falling in beside the older boy.  "Is it ok if we eat with Yugi today?"

            Bakura grunted.  "Whatever."  Seeing Ryou's somewhat hurt expression, he added, "Sure, little one.  If it makes you happy."

            "Great!  Let's go, then, there they are!" He grabbed Bakura's hand and dragged the somewhat reluctant teen over to the table where Yugi, Yami, Tea, Tristan, and Joey were sitting.  Yugi looked up, smiling.

            "Ryou, Bakura, pull up a seat!  Good to see you guys!"  Unfortunately, Joey and Yami's reactions weren't quite as cordial.  Joey stood up fast, face turning a dark red.

            "Forget it, Yuug.  I'm not sitting with that jerk," he spat, glaring at Bakura.  Yami folded his arms and glowered.

            "And I refuse to eat with that underhanded tomb robber," he stated, voice cold.

            Bakura picked up his tray.  "Fine.  I'd rather not eat with you fools anyways." He glanced at Ryou.  "Have fun, little one.  I'll see you after school."  He started walking away, towards the courtyard.  Ryou jumped out of his seat.

            "Bakura!  Wait!" He turned to Yugi and blurted, "Sorry, Yugi, I gotta go." Then he grabbed his tray and chased after Bakura.  Yugi looked at his friends reproachfully.

            "Thanks a lot, guys." With that, he left the cafeteria too.   

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Well, that turned out a bit nicer than I planned; guess the angsty stuff will have to wait until later chapters.  Sorry, angst fans; but don't worry, somebody will get hurt soon.   (Hmm…wonder if I should pull Yugi in on this?) That chapter was a little weird.  Review please!


	4. Afraid to Love

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, blah blah, you know the rest.  I can't think of a good title for this chapter, if you have any suggestions, tell me!

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            Ryou caught up with Bakura as he stalked down the hall.  The older teen was fuming, cursing under his breath.  He reached the empty courtyard and slammed his tray down on a table, spilling the contents of his plate.

            "That idiot pharaoh and his dumb mutt, always thinking they're so high and mighty, I'll show them…" He noticed Ryou beside him.  "Go eat with your friends, little one.  I'll eat here."  Ryou shook his head.  

            "I'd rather eat with you, Bakura."  He slid into the seat next to Bakura and set his tray down.  The door opened and Yugi came in, a little red-faced and out of breath from running.  He sat down across from Ryou and Bakura.

            "Sorry guys, I had no idea they were going to be so rude," he said, obviously embarrassed by his friends' behavior.  Bakura snorted and Ryou shot him a warning glance.  He looked back at Yugi.

           "It's ok, Yugi, it wasn't your fault," Ryou replied.  Yugi smiled gratefully at him, then bent his head over his soup, avoiding Bakura's gaze.  There was an awkward silence before Ryou realized the problem.

            "Bakura's my best friend, Yugi.  It's all right."  Yugi looked back up, blushing slightly.  He opened his mouth, about to ask something, but Ryou answered his question before it came.

            "I know you all think he's evil, but he really isn't."  In his mind, he heard Bakura smirk.  {Are you so sure, little one?}  Ryou grinned.  Of course!  He felt Bakura chuckle, but noted that he didn't argue.  Yugi, meanwhile, looked relieved.

            "Oh.  Ok, that's good."  His eyes went slightly unfocused and Ryou realized he was talking to Yami through their mindlink.  He sneaked a sideways glance at Bakura to see his reaction to Yugi.  To his relief, the older boy didn't seem hostile; he merely looked bored, as he so often did around Ryou's friends.  {Did you expect me to be angry, little one?  I have no quarrel with Yugi, after all.}  Ryou was about to respond when he noticed that Yugi had finished talking with Yami and was fidgeting with his spoon.  Feeling Bakura and Ryou's gazes on him, he shrugged unhappily.

            "Yami's being unreasonable again.  I tried telling him that you weren't evil –" he looked at Bakura, " – but he won't listen."  He flushed, but added hopefully, "I'll talk to him though, I'm sure he'll come around eventually.  Joey, too."  Bakura grunted, but Ryou flashed Yugi a brilliant smile.

            "Thanks, Yugi!  That'd be great."  He grinned at Bakura.  "I think you and Yami should stop holding grudges against each other.  Five thousand plus years is a long time to stay mad at someone."  Bakura looked skeptical, but Ryou and Yugi both looked at him pleadingly and he shook his head in resignation.

               "Fine, fine, I'll try to get along with him and forget about the past.  If that idiot pharaoh – sorry, Yugi – does his part, that is."  Ryou beamed and wrapped his arms around the other teen's waist, hugging him.

            "Yay!  Thanks, Bakura, you're the best!"  Bakura looked somewhat taken aback by Ryou's sudden display of affection, but put an arm around the smaller boy and hugged him back.

            "Only for you, little one," he murmured, stroking Ryou's hair.  Yugi, not wanting to intrude on the two, picked up his tray and sidled towards the door.

            "Um, I'll just go talk to Yami now, 'k?  See ya."  He left quietly.  Ryou snuggled into Bakura's lap, then looked up at him.

            "Bakura?" he said, timidly.  Bakura looked back down at him fondly.

            "Yes, little one?"

            Ryou hesitated, looking at Bakura.  Sunlight glinted off the other teen's silver hair, brought out the gold specks in the other's eyes.  His face had softened as he looked at the boy he held in his arms.  Ryou found it hard to believe this was the same person who had hurt him so badly just a month ago, had driven him to attempt suicide.  This was more like the Bakura of old, when they had first met.  This was the person he had fallen in love with.

            "Bakura –" Ryou faltered again.  _I love you,_ he thought.  But he was too afraid to say it, afraid of being rejected, afraid of having his heart broken again if the other boy didn't feel the same, too afraid.  He realized Bakura was still waiting for him to say something.

            "Nothing," he whispered, burying his head back in the front of Bakura's shirt.  "Nothing."

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Aargh!  I can't seem to write angst anymore; that was way more fluffy than I was going to write it.  Oh well, how did you like it?  Please review!         


	5. Alone

Hey everybody!  Sorry it's been so long since I've updated, I've been kinda busy.  Read and enjoy!  This is the same day as last chapter, just after school.  I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, so don't sue me!

            "Oh, once in your life, you find someone…Who will turn your world around, pick you up when you're feeling down…" Ryou sang, headphones on, as he came waltzing into the house that afternoon.  Bakura had gotten home from school before him and was leaning against the counter, watching the smaller boy with obvious amusement.  Ryou twirled, still humming, then bowed low before the teen, handing him a brilliant crimson leaf with an elaborate flourish.  Bakura took it and placed it by the sink before pulling Ryou close in a hug.

            "Well, somebody's having a good day," he remarked with a grin.  Ryou smiled back up at him, eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed by the cold. 

            "I love fall!  It's my favorite season – not too cold, not too warm, and the teachers haven't started piling homework on us yet so there's plenty of time to relax.  And everything's so beautiful!"  He straightened, pulling back from Bakura and screwing up his face as he tried to think of what he had been about to say, eyes brightening when he remembered.  "Yugi said he'll talk to Yami tonight, and he wants to know if we can meet him in the park tomorrow, just for fun."

            Bakura looked reluctant and a little doubtful.  "You think the pharaoh's going to change his mind about me in a day?"  

            Ryou shrugged.  "It doesn't matter, Yugi said even if Yami keeps being stubborn, he still wants to hang out with us.  And Yugi's really nice."  He blushed as he said this and averted his gaze.  Bakura looked at him suspiciously, noting the redness in his hikari's cheeks, the sparkle in his eyes.  _By Ra! _he thought, dismayed.  _He's falling for that Moto boy!_  For some reason, this realization upset him, making him feel…well, _empty_ almost, as if he had been abandoned.  Bakura shook his head, disgusted by his feelings.  He was Bakura, a cold-hearted thief and a stealer of souls; he had said as much to Yami at Duelist Kingdom.  He didn't need Ryou's affection; he had never cared about what his light felt.  Certainly he wasn't going to care now, if the little fool wanted to go traipsing around Domino with Yugi…

            "Bakura?" Ryou asked.  "Is something wrong?"  Bakura looked at his hikari, so beautiful, and felt that ache again, as well as a bitter rage rising within him.

            "Nothing," he snapped, ignoring Ryou's hurt, startled expression.  He disappeared into the Millennium Ring, wanting to escape from the unsettling emotions Ryou was stirring in him.

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            Ryou was worried.

            He sat on the sofa, idly flipping through channels before turning the TV off and tossing aside the remote.  Bakura had retreated to his soul room where he had been sulking for hours, refusing to respond to Ryou.  After about an hour of begging and pleading as he tried to figure out what had pissed the spirit off so much, Ryou had given up and settled down to do his homework.  Now, homework finished, household chores neatly completed, he had nothing to do.  The silence inside the house was choking; Ryou had turned the television on, desperate for some background noise, only to find that the cheesy commercials and soap operas grated on his nerves even more.  He felt incredibly _lonely_ all of a sudden, almost the way he had felt when he had attempted suicide.  Suddenly desperate for company, he reached out to the spirit through their mind link.  Bakura? There was no response, not even a scoff or grunt.  Bakura! he called again, more insistently.  Bakura, please, talk to me!  What did I do wrong? The spirit still didn't answer, and Ryou realized he was on the verge of tears.  Bakura!  Bakura, please, I need you! he called, lower lip trembling.  He couldn't help it; tears welled up in his eyes, beading on his long eyelashes.  He wiped them away, sniffing.  _Look at you,_ he thought.  _A few hours by yourself and you're whimpering like a frightened dog._  Try as he might though, the tears kept coming.  He curled up on the couch, hugging his knees to his chest.

            "Bakura…" he whispered out loud, voice shaking.  His Ring flashed, then Bakura was standing in front of him, an unreadable look in his eyes.

            "Don't cry, little one," he soothed, gathering Ryou up.  "I'm here."    

Ookay…that was a weird chapter.  Sorry I made Ryou such a wuss.  I was going to do Yugi/Ryou and Bakura jealousy, but it somehow didn't turn out that way when I was writing it.  Please review anyways, even if you just want to flame it (granted, positive feedback would be nicer, but flames are still better than nothing).  All right, just review it please!


	6. Hurt

            Ryou peered up at the spirit gratefully through his tears, clinging to the older boy as if he would never let go.  "Bakura…I was so scared…" he wept.  Bakura patted Ryou's back gingerly.

            "Come now, little one.  It's not so bad, is it?" he comforted, holding his hikari close.  Ryou sniffled.

            "I thought…" He dropped his eyes, downcast.  "I thought you left me," he finished in a whisper.  Beside him, Bakura stiffened, a sudden flicker of emotion crossing his face.

            "And if I did?" he asked quietly, watching the boy he held in his arms intently.  Ryou's reaction was instantaneous; he flinched as though Bakura had struck him.

           "What?!  No!  No, don't leave, please, Bakura, you can't leave!"  He sat up, clutching Bakura tightly, desperately, fingers digging painfully into Bakura's arms.  Bakura looked at him, feeling a twinge of guilt at hurting his hikari, yet unable to ignore the strange surge of exhiliration that flooded his veins at the sight of Ryou's almost abject pleading and desperation.  _He needs me, _he thought with a curious sense of satisfaction.  Oblivious to Bakura's thoughts, Ryou was still crying.  

            "You can't leave, you just can't…" His voice choked up and he bowed his head, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.  

            Bakura reached out and gently slipped two fingers under Ryou's chin, lifting his head up so the smaller boy would meet his eyes.  "And why can't I?" he asked, knowing that he was being cruel, knowing that he was hurting Ryou, knowing all this, but needing to ask anyways.  Ryou looked at him unhappily, tears glimmering in his eyes.

            "Because," he said simply.  Bakura raised an eyebrow.

            "Because?" he echoed sarcastically.  Ryou flushed and ducked his head, lower lip starting to tremble.  Relentlessly, Bakura mocked him.  " 'Because.'  Oh, well, that answers _everything_, doesn't it?  Would you like to expand on your amazingly logical explanation, Ryou?"  Seeing his hikari's hurt expression, Bakura bit his lip.  _Ra, why am I doing this?_ he cursed inwardly.  A part of him berated himself for his harsh words, wanting to appologize, gather up the boy and tell him that everything was fine, that he hadn't meant what he said.  However, some other, darker part of him was relishing the pain he was causing, exulting at the sight of his hikari's shock, his tears.  This was the side of his nature that thirsted for blood, that filled him with the urge to break everything he encountered.  It was the ruthlessness that had made him one of the most feared criminals so many centuries ago, the cruel voice deep within his soul that had made him shun the weaker emotions, that had driven him to survive all these years and to cling to his grudge against the pharoah with a dogged tenacity.  Now, it was calling out for revenge: revenge against that pathetic pharoah and his hikari for daring to look at Ryou, for threatening to steal away his heart…_What am I saying?! _Bakura screamed at himself, silently.  _It doesn't matter to me, why should I care if Yugi hangs out with him?_  From somewhere, some dark part of his brain answered him, cold, calculating : _Because Ryou is mine. _

Ok, weird chapter and I'm sorry it's short.  No, Bakura isn't being possessed by an evil spirit, he is one, remember?  This is angst, so his sadistic side is coming back out.  If nobody likes it, I'll rewrite it so that it's nicer or however most people like it (that is, after I'm done crying over bad reviews).  Review please! *puppy eyes*  Tell me what you think!       


	7. Chapter 7

Ok, Chapter 7!  I know, short chapters are bad.  I'm trying, I really am.  This is a longer one.  Read and enjoy!

            Morning sunlight slanted through the window and illuminated Ryou's features as he lay alone in the bed.  His silver hair flamed into strands of white gold as the rays of light played across his face, but he turned away, moaning softly, and nestled deeper into the blankets.  His eyebrows creased slightly and he frowned, dreaming…

            _He stood on a beautiful sunny beach, ankle deep in sparkling blue waves.  All around him, people were laughing, playing.  Yugi and Yami dashed past him, hand in hand; nearby, Joey and Mai were flirting and splashing each other.  Yet somehow, it was cold, so cold, and he was suddenly standing alone, the beach and his friends melting away, their laughter fading and echoing eerily down a corridor, the walls pure white, a dead white, sterile and soulless.  At the end of the hall, Bakura stood motionless, facing away.  Ryou called out to him, but the spirit didn't hear him, just began walking down the hall.  Ryou followed, running after him, a hospital gown fluttering around him like pale wings.  The thin scars on his arms that had almost faded flared with pain, bright, angry red against his skin; as he ran, they broke open and began bleeding, drops of crimson falling like tears, falling and splashing against the white walls and floor without leaving a trace. Bakura was still walking away but his figure was shrouded in darkness now, disappearing slowly, piece by piece. Bakura!  Bakura, wait! Ryou cried.  It was getting hard to see, hard to move, but he kept going, even when he could barely see Bakura, even when he had been forced to his knees, crying.  But his tears turned to blood too, leaving a scarlet trail of intermingled blood and tears behind him, a trail that vanished when he looked back at it, the corridor white again, unmarred.  He couldn't go back; he knew that when he tried to go back, he would find himself trapped in that endless stretch of cold, impersonal, white walls and floors and ceilings, never to find his way back to the dreamlike paradise he had been in.  It was not for him, that shining beach with its whispered promise of happiness and love, not a place for those who were broken, shattered.  He kept going, crawling now, always calling out for Bakura until he collapsed, too tired to move anymore, and Bakura walked on…_

"Bakura, wait!"  With a sob, Ryou wrenched himself out of the nightmare.  The room was silent, save for the sound of his own harsh panting.  He sat up, slipping his feet out from under the tangled covers, and padded softly to the bathroom where he closed the door and leaned against the sink, glancing into the mirror.  He grinned wryly at what he saw there.  The tearstained face staring back at him seemed to be that of any normal teenager; only a faint tightness about the mouth betrayed the pain he was feeling.  Looking at his reflection, Ryou recalled the countless other times he had done this, always after something Bakura had said or done to him.  Why was it that he constantly measured his own worth by the way Bakura treated him?  The smallest compliment from the spirit could make him deliriously happy, while the slightest rebuke left him feeling worthless.  He studied his face closely, the eyes especially.  Yes, it was still there; the three months that had passed after his attempted suicide still hadn't quite erased that deadened look of listless resignation lurking there.  Abruptly, Ryou turned away, not wanting to see any more.  He groped blindly for the door and stumbled back to his room, curling up on the bed as hot tears coursed down his cheeks.  _Just having a good cry, he thought, mocking himself.  _How much more girlish can you get?_  He allowed his mind to wander to the nightmare he had had.  It frightened him, how willing he had been to follow Bakura, even when he was in pain, even when Bakura didn't care whether he followed or not.  __It's only a dream, his rational mind whispered.  Yet he knew that, were it in real life, he would still have followed Bakura, that even now, he was still willing to bleed for him, to give everything he could and, when he had given everything he had, to die for him.  The Millennium Ring flashed then, and he heard Bakura's voice in his head._

{My, my, what gloomy thoughts on such a beautiful morning!  It's not like you to be so maudlin, little one.} The spirit's tone was teasing, but there seemed to be a darker meaning to his words as he added, {I must admit, I find your devotion flattering.}

            Ryou sat bolt upright.  "Bakura!"  The door opened and Bakura slipped in, wraithlike.  In a flash, Ryou had crossed the room and was hugging him.  "Bakura, you're back, I missed you, I had the most horrible dream, please don't go away again!"  The words spilled from his mouth as he tilted his head back to look at Bakura.  Bakura looked back at him; his face appeared kind, but something in his eyes made Ryou shiver.  There was something cold or possessive about that gaze…he blinked and whatever it was disappeared.

{Everything all right, little one?} Bakura asked silently.  Ryou smiled and nodded; he leaned against Bakura's chest contentedly.  Bakura held him quietly, stroking his hair in an absentminded fashion.  Finally, he disengaged himself gently.

            "Ryou, you should really go eat breakfast now," he reminded.  Ryou ducked his head, looking like a scolded puppy.

            "Sorry, Bakura, I'll go right now," he said quickly.  He dashed out of the room, running towards the kitchen.  Bakura watched him go, a curious half-smile hovering around his lips as he listened to the sound of Ryou's footsteps receding down the hall.

            Ryou sat at the table, swirling his cereal around as he stared out the window.  It _was_ a beautiful day out; the sun was shining, the sky was an incredible clear blue without a cloud in sight, and he could hear birds singing somewhere.  _How can it be so perfect?_ he wondered.  _I thought beautiful days were only in books and cheap movies._  He shoveled a spoonful of soggy cornflakes into his mouth and made a face, putting the spoon back down and returning his gaze to the window.  As he watched, a hummingbird came flitting up, bumping against the window.  Ryou laughed out loud with delight; his laughter turned into a shocked gasp when the little bird hurled itself full force against the glass.

            "No!"  He ran outside.  On the porch, he found the feathery body motionless by the window.  He picked it up and cradled it in his hands.  The hummingbird didn't move; it seemed to be stunned or dead, lying limply on his palm.

            "Ryou?  What are you doing out here?" Bakura asked, coming to stand by him.  He had heard the door bang when Ryou ran out, and had gone to see if something was wrong.  Ryou turned to him, close to tears.

            "It just flew into the window," he said, showing Bakura the tiny bird in his hand.  "I don't know if it's ok, it was just bumping up against the glass and then-" His lip trembled.

            Bakura cast a cursory glance at the bird, his attention mostly focused on his hikari.  _He's so sensitive,_ he marveled.  _Crying over a random bird that he's never seen before today…_ He forced his mind back to the immediate situation.  "Don't worry, little one, it's probably just stunned."  He took the bird from Ryou.  "I'll take care of it.  Why don't you go finish your cereal?"

            "Will it be ok?" Ryou asked tremulously.

            "Of course," Bakura reassured him.  Ryou gave him a grateful smile and went back into the house.

             Bakura looked at the hummingbird he held.  It was beautiful; its iridescent feathers glowed with rich jewel tones.  The throat seemed to be plated with tiny, overlapping rubies, while the wings shone a deep greenish blue.  He admired it, watching the way the sun reflected off the feathers, then closed his hand around it hard, feeling the fragile bones break in his grip, warm blood gushing out.  With a casual flick, he tossed the carcass into the grass and wiped his hand clean.  _Oh, Ryou, _he thought fondly.  _You and that hummingbird, such beautiful creatures, yet so easily broken…_ He examined his hand to make sure there were no stray feathers left, then went inside.

Oooh, creepy.  How do you like it?  The hummingbird scene was inspired by the time a real hummingbird crashed into my window.  I wasn't going to have Bakura kill it at first, but I ended up writing it.  Review please!   


	8. Chapter 8

Finally, Chapter 8! Sorry I haven't updated sooner.  Read and enjoy!

            A shadow fell over Ryou as he sat fidgeting at the breakfast table; he looked up, questions springing to his lips, and saw Bakura standing in the doorway, a black silhouette against the early morning sunlight.  Something about the spirit froze Ryou's tongue, choking his words so that he could only stare in helpless silence at the dark figure looming before him.  He felt an icy chill of apprehension, suddenly remembering that Bakura wasn't a normal teenager, that he was actually some thousands of years old, a bloodthirsty tomb robber who had murdered and plundered countless innocents, that he had hurt Ryou in the recent past and might do so again in the future.  Then Bakura moved, stepping into the cool shadows within the house, and he was just Bakura once more, eyes a little dazzled from the bright outdoors, smiling slightly at some private joke.  Ryou let his breath out in a silent sigh of relief.  What had he been expecting, anyhow?  He grinned up at Bakura, finding his voice.

           "It's ok, then?  The hummingbird?" he asked.  Bakura's smile widened and Ryou's uneasiness returned, sending a small shiver up his spine.

            "Yes," Bakura answered, after a brief pause.  "It's fine.  I…saw to it."  When Ryou didn't say anything, he elaborated a bit more.  "It flew away," he lied, cursing himself for leaving the body on the grass so carelessly.  _I'll have to get rid of it before Ryou goes outside_, he thought.

            "That's good," Ryou said mechanically, staring hard at Bakura.  _He's lying,_ said a little voice in the back of his mind.  _He's lying to you.  You know he is._  He probed tentatively through their mindlink, finding Bakura's thoughts closed to him as usual.  Bakura was still in the kitchen, lounging against the counter with his arms folded over his chest.  It was a completely normal stance, but somehow, Ryou was convinced that the spirit was hiding something from him.  Curiously enough, he didn't really care.  He felt himself push his chair back from the table and stand, dreamlike, his feet carrying him towards the door.  Before he reached it, Bakura was standing in front of him, indolent posture abandoned.

            "Finish your breakfast, little one."

            Ryou looked at him.  The spirit was blocking his way completely; though his arms were hanging loosely by his sides, Ryou sensed that every muscle in his body was tensed, ready.  From afar, he heard himself reply.

            "I don't want to.  I want to go outside."

            Bakura shook his head.  "Finish your breakfast first," he repeated, with a definite edge to his voice now.  

            Afterwards, Ryou couldn't remember what had made him do it.  He vaguely recalled trying to lunge past Bakura, a bruising grip on his shoulders wrenching him around, Bakura shouting at him to sit down, someone sobbing hysterically.  Then pain, a bright, white-hot jolt through his left arm as he was shoved roughly away from the door, slamming into the counter with a dull cracking noise.  Bakura, looking down on him, spitting out three words before walking away.

            "Finish your breakfast." 

***********************************************************

            Ryou moaned, opening his eyes to find the kitchen swimming dizzily around him.  He blinked hard in hopes that the room would stop spinning and let him get up; unfortunately, his surroundings continued their relentless turning until he felt quite nauseous.  A rank odor wafted past his nostrils and he wrinkled his nose in distaste, peeking sideways and locating the source of the smell as a puddle of milk on the floor that was beginning to sour.  From his vantage point, he could see chunks of soggy cornflakes floating in it, and decided that he should probably try to move away from it.  He lifted his head and cried out as the movement jarred his arm, sending a dagger of pain slicing through the injured limb, black spots obscuring his vision.  He subsided, putting his head back down and clenching his teeth, determined not to faint again.  Dimly, he thought back to the last time he had woken up on the floor like this; it had been the time Bakura had thrown him across the room so long ago…Realization of what had happened hit him then, and he closed his eyes in a futile effort to ward off the hurt.

            "But I just wanted to go outside," he said out loud to the cornflakes on the floor.  "I just wanted to go outside."

Sorry, it's a short chapter and I haven't updated in ages, eons, centuries…I had a lot of schoolwork.  Please review though!  


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9!  Read and enjoy!

            He didn't know how long he lay there, but when he next opened his eyes, Bakura was leaning over him, looking concerned.  Ryou cried out, shrinking away from the spirit.

            "No!  Go away, don't touch me!"

            Bakura froze; for a moment, Ryou thought he saw pain and a strange regret in those dark eyes, but he blinked and Bakura's face seemed to close, emotions vanishing and leaving him expressionless.  Ryou wondered if he had really seen them…no, he must have imagined it.  Bakura bent over him again, gathering him up.  Ryou screamed when his arm was jostled; Bakura stopped immediately.

            "What is it, little one?  What's the matter?"

            _Like it makes any difference to you, _Ryou thought resentfully, hot tears threatening to spill over at the memory of Bakura's most recent act of violence.  Bakura flinched as though he had been struck, and Ryou realized that he had heard his thought through their mindlink.  He bit his lip, trying, and failing, to suppress a sudden pang of guilt.  Bitterly, he wondered why Bakura always affected him this way, making him feel as though he were at fault regardless of the situation.  He saw Bakura still waiting for an answer and looked away.  "My arm hurts really bad when I move it," he said softly.  

            Long fingers ran along his arm gently but firmly, probing for injuries.  Ryou winced as they passed over the angry bruises that had formed when Bakura had grabbed his shoulders, but didn't cry out.  When Bakura reached his elbow though, he gasped in pain, gritting his teeth to keep back a scream.

            "This hurts?" Bakura asked, pressing lightly on the spot.

            "Yes," Ryou managed, keeping his jaw clenched.  His vision was getting hazy again…_No,_ he thought dizzily.  _Mustn't…faint…_Bakura moved the elbow and a fresh wave of pain washed over him; Ryou gagged, feeling sick.

            "You've dislocated your elbow," said Bakura, still examining Ryou's arm.  "I can put it back in for you though."

            "Will it hurt–" Ryou screamed as pain exploded in his arm.  The spots returned to his vision in droves, dancing, multicolored blotches, mocking him.  He screwed his eyes up as the pain intensified.  _I'm dying, _he thought crazily,_ he's killing me, he finally got tired of me so he's killing me…_ He heard a wet grating noise of bone against bone, then a pop as Bakura wrenched the offending limb back into its socket.

            "All better, little one," Bakura announced, almost cheerily.  Ryou lay still, panting, as the pain subsided slowly.  He glared weakly at the other boy, who was watching him intently.

            "It would be nice," he said hoarsely, "if you warned me before you did that."

            "If I told you, you would have tensed up," responded Bakura, shrugging.  "It would have hurt even more."  Ryou scowled.

            "I hate it when you're right," he muttered.  Bakura didn't laugh, but Ryou got the feeling that he was trying not to.  He sat stiffly and did his best to maintain his dignity as Bakura scooped him up carefully.  "I can walk, Bakura," he protested.  "My legs are fine.  I hurt—_you_ hurt my arm," he corrected himself, emphasizing the "you" ever so slightly, wondering at his own daring as he did so.  His words had a definite effect: Bakura froze for an instant, then gently placed him back on the ground.

            "Have it your way, then," he said, voice devoid of emotion.  Ryou glanced at him and saw the handsome features slip into an inscrutable mask, as expressionless as his voice.

            "Bakura?" he asked, frightened.  "Bakura, don't please, I didn't mean it…" He stopped as Bakura started walking away.  "Bakura!  No, where are you going?  Don't leave!"

            The spirit stopped, standing with his back to Ryou, then turned to face him.  "You made me do this, little one" he said quietly.  "You made me."  With that, he turned away again and kept walking. 

            "Bakura!  Wait!" called Ryou desperately.  The kitchen door banged a moment later, then, through the window, he saw Bakura walking briskly down the driveway, turning onto the street.  "No!"  Ryou rushed out after him, crying.  "Bakura!"

            Bakura didn't slow down, or even look back.  Sobbing, Ryou collapsed to his knees, knowing he would never be able to stop Bakura from doing what he wanted.  His hand brushed against something in grass; struggling to see through his tears, he picked it up.  When he saw what it was, he felt his heart break.

            Once again, the hummingbird lay cradled in his palms.  Now though, it was broken and bloodied, no longer beautiful or full of life.  

            "Why did you fly into that window?" Ryou whispered to it, shaking.  "Why did you hurt yourself?"

            The bird's eye stared blankly back at him, answering neither of the questions.  But, as Ryou saw himself reflected in the tiny orb, he realized that his questions weren't really for the bird.  He was asking himself.

Ok, I know, I haven't updated for half a year, and this is kind of a lousy chapter.  You'll review anyways, right?  Because you love me so much?  Review!

                 __


	10. Chapter 10

And finally, we have an update! A very short one, but I'm not really sure where I want to go with this story at this point. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Read and enjoy!

How long did he stay kneeling there in the grass, frozen? Ryou didn't know. When he finally returned to the present though, it was evening. The sun was setting, the sky washed with crimson streaks of blood that spilled over onto the grass, the trees, until everything was stained a rich scarlet. He noticed that his neck was sore, his knees aching from being in the same position for so long. Pins and needles assaulted his feet, but he ignored the sensation and rolled up his sleeve, carefully placing the hummingbird on the grass beside him.

The scars were still there, a lacy network of silver threads crisscrossing the pale skin of his arm. There was a certain elegance to it, even considering the nature of the wounds. However, it was marred by an unsightly welt of scar tissue slashing diagonally across his wrist. Ryou laughed bitterly, reminded of his attempted suicide. Bakura really had been a knife master, with an eye for beauty. He wielded his blade expertly, all the countless times he had forced Ryou into submission, never making a single cut that detracted from his attractiveness. It was ironic then, that the one scar that _was_ just plain ugly had been self-inflicted. Suddenly angered, he scooped up the dead hummingbird and hurled it away from him as hard as he could.

"Damn you, Bakura!" he howled. "Damn you and everything you did to me! Look at me! Look at what you did to me! I'm fucking useless now, it's all your fault! I wish I'd never fucking met you, I wish Dad had never given me that fucking ring! I hope you never fucking come back!"

He screamed until his throat was raw and all that came out was a hoarse rasp, then continued his tirade silently. Finally, his anger gave out and he curled up, weeping. He could scream all the lies he wanted, but he couldn't hide the truth from himself. He _loved_ Bakura. He'd give anything to have him back in his life; he couldn't even imagine life without Bakura. Even the abuse provided some form of the contact Ryou craved – it was proof that he still meant something to Bakura, that the spirit cared enough about him to hurt him. Now, all he felt was emptiness.

Sorry about how short it is and how long it's been since I updated. I've been busy and fighting writer's block…Well, please review! Even if you hated it, tell me that you hate it, or if you think I should take it off And if you loved it, comments would be encouraging. Thank you all for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

Yay! An update! If you're still with me, thanks ever so much! I love you! Here's Chapter 11, read and enjoy! I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, don't sue me!

Yugi perched on a stool at the kitchen table, swinging his feet as he toyed with the strands of spaghetti in the bowl in front of him. Across from him, Yami pored over his calculus textbook, mumbling to himself.

"First derivative of x squared over 3 minus 5x…that's bottom times derivative of the top, so 3 minus 5x times 2x, minus top times derivative of the bottom, so x squared times 5, all over the bottom squared…" He looked up to see Yugi staring off into space, forehead scrunched in concentration. "Something wrong, hikari?" he asked.

Yugi blinked adorably, jerking out of his reverie. "Huh? Oh…I was just wondering if Ryou was all right. He hasn't been in class for a few days."

"No…he hasn't," Yami agreed slowly, thinking back to the past week. Granted, the soft-spoken teenager was easy to miss, overshadowed as he was by his more commanding dark side. Still, he had always been there, an unobtrusive presence in the back of the classroom with his head bowed meekly over his desk. Lately, that desk had been empty…as was another one, Yami realized with a sudden chill of fear.

"Yami?" asked Yugi, sensing the spirit's mood change abruptly. "What is it?"

"Bakura," Yami answered gravely. Yugi was confused.

"Bakura? What about him…oh yeah, he hasn't been in school either! But he could be skipping, he skips school a lot anyways. You think maybe he might know about Ryou?"

"I don't _think_, Yugi, I _know_." Yami paused, debating whether or not to tell his light, then decided. "I'm afraid Ryou could be in great danger."

"Ryou? In danger? From what?" Yugi's alarm was palpable, and Yami saw the worry rising in his eyes. "You don't think Bakura hurt Ryou, do you?"

"I'm afraid so, Yugi," answered Yami. "Did you ever wonder why Ryou always wears long sleeves?"

"It's cuz he's so thin, isn't it? He said he didn't like showing his arms because they're too skinny and he's always cold."

Yami shook his head slightly. "No, Yugi. Have you ever seen his arms?"

"Well, no," Yugi admitted. "He never even takes his shirt off in gym. Have you seen them?"

"Yes."

Yugi stared at Yami, frightened by the other's somber expression. "What…was there…Was there anything…wrong with them?" he ended timidly.

"They were covered with scars, Yugi," said Yami heavily, looking down at the figures scribbled on his paper.

"What?! But what does that have to do with–"

"Scars made by Bakura," finished Yami. Still avoiding Yugi's gaze, he continued, "I know they're from Bakura. He is a master of knives. I have seen similar marks on his…victims before, in the past."

"You're saying Bakura cut Ryou?" blurted Yugi, shocked. "That can't be! Bakura wouldn't hurt Ryou! Yami, you didn't see them that day in the courtyard! They were hugging each other…"

"Maybe so, Yugi, but things could very well have changed. Bakura is an extremely jealous person," gritted Yami. The last statement seemed to be causing him some difficulty. "The smallest, most insignificant action can send him into a rage, and he gives in much too easily to his darker impulses. Even if he regrets his actions later, the damage is…irreparable sometimes."

Yugi gaped at Yami, wondering what prompted this outburst. Before he could ask, Yami recovered his usual demeanor and spoke.

"Either ways, we have to help Ryou," he stated firmly, looking straight at Yugi. Yugi stared into the spirit's ruby red eyes, finding no hint of what had just happened, and nodded.

"Right. We'll do it together."

Yami stood, extending a hand to the smaller boy. "Good. Now get your coat, Yugi. We're going to Ryou's house."

A little short, but the next chapter should be coming soon, since I sort of know what it'll be about. Did you like this chapter? Hate it? Review please!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 up! 1,332 words, so it's a bit longer than the last chapter. Read and enjoy!

Yugi shivered as he released his hold around Yami's waist, climbing off the back of the motorcycle and looking around. The house loomed up in front of them, vaguely threatening for some reason. _'Loomed?'_ thought Yugi, wondering at his strange choice of words. Ryou's house was small and tidy, its carefully trimmed lawn and white walls nearly identical to the other houses in the neighborhood. It certainly didn't _loom_, with all the sinister connotations the word held. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel that that was precisely what it was doing now. There was an air of wrongness about the place, though he couldn't put his finger on what exactly was off.

There are weeds in the driveway, aibou. And the windows are dirty.

Yami was right, Yugi realized. Ryou had been a compulsive neat freak for as long as Yugi had known him. He dusted the house every day, and Joey had joked that he was the Grim Reaper of weeds, with garden gloves and herbicide instead of a cloak and scythe. In the past, whenever the gang happened to pass by Ryou's place, it had always looked as if it were brand new. Now, the windows were streaked with the finest layer of dust, and a dandelion was poking its head out from the earth near Yugi's foot. It would have been normal if the house had belonged to anybody else, which was probably why he hadn't picked up on it immediately.

Do you think he's home? asked Yugi, through the mindlink. Somehow, he didn't feel like speaking out loud here, where the silence had a menacing quality as though it were daring them to break it.

"I don't know," Yami replied, shattering the silence on purpose. He sensed Yugi relax the tiniest bit, just as he had hoped he would.

"Well," said Yugi, jumping slightly at the sound of his own voice, "We'd better check."

He walked up the steps of the porch, Yami following close behind him. Up close, he could see wispy cobwebs in the corners of the glass storm door, pale and fine, almost like strands of Ryou's hair. Swallowing hard and trying to act braver than he felt, he pressed the door bell firmly, straining to hear the faint chime indoors. When he heard nothing, he frowned and pushed it harder.

"I don't think it's working, Yugi," commented Yami.

"Uh-huh," agreed Yugi. He raised a hand and was about to rap on the glass when Yami caught his wrist, pulling him away from the door gently.

"Better let me do it, aibou," he murmured, softly but with a hint of steel in his voice that indicated he wouldn't argue about it. Yugi stepped behind Yami with a token show of indignation, secretly relieved to let Yami lead the way.

"Fine," he muttered. Yami smiled at him reassuringly before knocking on the door sharply, three crisp taps echoing faintly in the silence that had returned, more oppressive than ever. When there was no answer, he knocked again, a little louder and more insistently. _Rat-tat-tat_.

"He's not answering," Yugi whispered, hearing his voice as though from afar. He felt sluggish, ensnared by the silence flowing around them, as though he were wading in a sea of glue that was slowly pulling him down, filling his mouth, nose, ears, eyes, so that he couldn't breathe or hear or see –

Yugi! You're letting your imagination get away! barked Yami mentally, snapping Yugi out of his nightmarish daydream. Immediately, Yugi felt better and he hung his head, blushing.

Thanks, Yami. Sorry about that. 

"It's not entirely your fault," mused Yami out loud, head cocked to one side like he was listening for something. "Bakura's shadow magic defenses on the house are still there…" He trailed off, looking thoughtful.

"Shadow magic defenses?" Yugi asked curiously. He knew shadow magic was powerful, but he hadn't thought about using it as a security system.

"Magical defenses that keep the house safe," clarified Yami. "The kind Bakura has will send you into a coma if you give in to it, until he decides to release you. It's very subtle; that's the sign of a good defense, because it's not apparent enough to trigger any magical sensors or defenses that other people might have. We have some around our place too," he added.

"What? But we live above a game shop! We can't go sending all our customers into comas, Yami!" protested Yugi. "And what about the gang?"

"Relax," chuckled Yami. "Ours only affects people harboring ill intentions towards one of us or our friends, and it doesn't send them into a coma. It just prompts them to attend to urgent business elsewhere. I set them up after Duelist Kingdom."

"Oh." Yugi shook his head, feeling the tendrils of shadow magic creeping into his mind again. Now, knowing what was happening, he fought it and managed to quash the drowning sensation, though he still felt uneasy.

"He doesn't appear to be at home," said Yami, peering through the glass panes on the front door. He put his hand on the knob and the door swung open. "Let's look inside."

"Wait, Yami," said Yugi timidly, the blush tinging his cheeks again. "If the defenses outside the house are this strong, I…I don't know if I'll be able to…" He stared at his feet and finished the sentence through their mindlink. I don't think I'm strong enough, Yami. 

Yami slapped himself mentally. Yugi, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, putting you in danger like this, he appologized.

Yugi was about to answer when he suddenly noticed a surge of power through the mindlink, as Yami strengthened both their mental defenses. It felt rather like having a warm blanket wrapped around him, and the discomfort caused by Bakura's shadow magic disappeared instantly. Wow, thanks, Yami! 

No problem, Yugi. Forgive me, I sometimes forget that you're not as used to shadow magic as I am.

With that, Yami stepped over the threshold and into the house. Yugi hopped in after him, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dark interior. Half a second later, he reeled as a wave of magic slammed into him. Almost immediately though, he felt Yami's protective shield deflecting it and absorbing its effects, as well as Yami's arm around his shoulders steadying him.

"Are you okay, aibou?" the spirit asked, his eyes concerned.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. Just took me by surprise, that's all," Yugi answered sheepishly.

Satisfied that his hikari was all right, Yami turned and started walking down the hall. "Stay close, Yugi," he warned. "I don't want to risk anything."

The hall was in the same state as the outside of the house had been. It looked _normal_ and lived in, which was quite abnormal for Ryou's house; usually, everything was so organized that it was impossible to tell that anyone lived there. Now, the ordinarily immaculate carpet bore faint traces of dirt, and the same barely visible layer of dust coating the windows blanketed the rest of the place. Yami was heading towards the living room when they heard a door slam in the kitchen.

Yugi leapt about a foot into the air. Terrified, he turned to Yami. Wh-what was that? 

I'm not sure. Stay behind me. replied Yami tersely, already moving stealthily down the hall. Gulping nervously, Yugi trailed after Yami, doing his best to tread silently. As they neared the kitchen, he became aware of a rank odor that grew stronger as they approached. He wrinkled his nose, supressing the urge to gag, and almost walked right into Yami, who had paused just out of sight of the kitchen door and was listening intently.

Sorry. 

Uh-huh. Yami grunted, his concentration elsewhere. He straightened up a few minutes later and strode into the kitchen. Nobody's there. Come on.

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief, following Yami in. Almost before he had finished exhaling, he gasped at the sight that met his eyes.

Yami, what happened here?! 

Yami's shadow defenses around the game shop are loosely based on the Muggle-repelling charms in Harry Potter. Obviously, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Tea/Anzu wouldn't exist, and Harry Potter belongs to the lovely JK Rowling (I don't know if I need that disclaimer…oh well.). Review please, I hope you all liked it!


	13. Chapter 13

An update at last, after an unfortunate dry spell that lasted far too long. If anybody is still reading this, thank you very much! Read and enjoy, people! Any feedback would be nice.

Under ordinary circumstances, Ryou's kitchen was the very model of cleanliness. Every surface gleamed, from countertops to floor tiles, and despite the fact that Ryou did a lot of cooking, the room always looked brand new and untouched. On one of the rare occasions when Yugi had been over to Ryou's house, he had had the opportunity to observe how the room was kept in this condition – Ryou cleaned it thoroughly every day before going to bed, and pity the stray food particle that caught his eye! Not only were the floors polished to the point that they could be used as mirrors, but they were probably clean enough to eat off of as well. With this in mind, Yugi could not help but gape at the scene before him.

The room was a mess. An upended cereal bowl lay on the floor, surrounded by a puddle of milk and cornflakes. The source of the smell they had noticed earlier, the milk was sour and curdled; evidently, it had been spilled quite some time ago. The dropped bowl, the chairs that had been knocked over, and the silverware scattered on the ground all spoke of violence, of some struggle that had taken place days ago. Yugi trembled, terrified at the implications.

At least there's no blood he suggested tremulously through their mindlink. He did not like to think about what that would have been like, had they walked in on a scene where it was Ryou sprawled on the floor instead of the two kitchen chairs, if it had been a pool of blood rather than milk.

Yes, aibou. Yami answered gravely.

He was not reassured though. There were an infinite number of ways to kill or hurt, many of which did not involve spilling blood or even physical pain. Bakura knew them all, and it was not a comforting thought. _What has he done now?_ Yami moved to the doorway and closed his eyes, extending his other senses outwards as he searched for the traces of magic that would remain if Bakura had taken his light to the shadow realm. He hoped he would not find them, for whatever horrors the tomb robber inflicted on Ryou in this world could be amplified tenfold in the shadow realm. Nevertheless, he had to be certain.

A scraping sound made his eyes snap open, instantly alert. Instead of a threat, all he saw was Yugi looking rather sheepish, bent toward one of the chairs.

"I was just going to straighten them, Yami," he said in a small voice, tears coming to his eyes. I can't help but think…Ryou would hate it if he knew his kitchen was like this. 

Yami moved to his hikari's side quickly and wrapped his arms around him, letting the smaller boy bury his face in his chest as his shoulders heaved.

Yugi, it's ok, we'll find him he soothed, nuzzling the boy affectionately. When Yugi's sniffles subsided a bit, Yami ruffled his hair and pulled away.

"I was just checking to see if Bakura had taken him to the shadow realm; he hasn't, so that's good."

Yugi looked somewhat relieved, though still teary. "That's good, I guess, I'd hate to think of Ryou in there all alone…"

_Or with someone, or something, else,_ Yami thought grimly. Bakura had a fondness for letting his monstrous pets play with his victims once he himself got bored…and there were duel monsters in the shadow realm more sadistic and perverted than anything on earth, as Yami knew from unpleasant personal experience. Bakura was going to pay big for this, Yami resolved, gritting his teeth.

"Yami, how will we find him? He could be anywhere," whispered Yugi, interrupting Yami's dark thoughts.

"We'll look around here first, see if he's hiding in the woods or something," Yami answered after thinking a moment. "I'm guessing he's with Bakura, but we have to check just in case he somehow got away. Then, if we can't find him, I can track Bakura."

"How?" asked Yugi. "I thought it was just the Ring that followed other Millenium Items, how will you find Bakura?"

Yami grinned fiercely, though it was a smile with no warmth in it. "Trust me, Yugi, I can always find that tomb robber when I need to. Always."

Review please!


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